Your mind is your instrument. Learn to be its master and not its slave.
~author unknown
Have you ever pondered what having your own constitution would be like? ...Of course I have that's why I'm blogging about it.
The word constitution has been rolling in around in my psyche since I met with my new Meditation Teacher last week. He said, "...according to your own constitution...". My mind has wandered from images of "Kimlandia", a place where I am the ruling Empress (complete with me waving to my imaginary subjects off of my back deck) - go figure (he also noted that I was very creative!), to the idea that I
actually have a constitution and what that meant to me.
Websters defines constitution as: A.) the physical makeup of the individual especially with respect to the health, strength, and appearance of the body; B.) the basic principles and laws of a nation, state, or social group that determine the powers and duties of the government and guarantee certain rights to the people in it. I am American by birth and like most Countries we have our own Constitution. The preamble to the US Constitution begins; "We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
What does any of this have to do with today's meditation? Today as I sat meditating on what my own constitution would look like if I actually tried to put it on to paper. As I meditated I began to realize that I still didn't have enough self awareness to have my own constitution, or enough language skills to articulate one even if I could begin to fathom what it might say. What did come to me was that I needed my own Declaration of Independence (and perhaps I should have developed these when I was a teenager...but I was too busy focusing on NOT FEELING to come up with anything other than an escape from reality!
So here's the beginning of my own Declaration (Constitution to follow at a later time in my development!): I hold these truths to be self evident, through analyzing, validating discarding or synthesizing discriminately the illumination of my own reality based on personal experiences of meditation, literature and my interactions with others - things that feel right within my being...when new information is acquired the cycle begins again...(the freedom is that this can happen many times throughout my day...It's called CHANGE)!
And today change is not only welcomed - I cultivate it. The thing that changed today was I truly realized that in order to be free from the shadows that bind me to negativity, sadness, depression and oppression all I have to do is declare my own independence...Freedom is an inside job!
A bit humorous...a little adventure and a lot of self-actualization! All of this while doing a basic meditation for mindfulness. What is Mindfulness Meditation?
Mindfulness is a type of meditation that essentially involves focusing on your mind on the present. To be mindful is to be aware of your thoughts and actions in the present, without judging yourself. This is what I often refer to as keeping my head where my feet are! Research suggests that mindfulness meditation may improve mood, decrease stress, and boost immune function. It's simple, easy to do and you can take the technique anywhere you go!
Here's how:
1. Find a quiet and comfortable place. Sit in a chair or on the floor with your back straight.
2. Try to put aside all thoughts of the past and the future and stay in the present moment.
3. Become aware of your breathing, focusing on the sensation of air moving in and out of your body as you breathe. Feel your belly rise and fall, the air enter your nostrils and leave your mouth. Pay attention to the way each breath changes and is different.
4. Watch every thought come and go, whether it be a worry, fear, anxiety or hope. When thoughts come up in your mind, don't ignore or suppress them but simply note them, remain calm and use your breathing as an anchor.
5. If you find yourself getting carried away in your thoughts, observe where your mind went off to, without judging, and simply return to your breathing. Remember not to be hard on yourself if this happens.
6. As the time comes to a close, sit for a minute or two, becoming aware of where you are. Get up gradually.
